1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of containers, and, in particular, to an improved thermoplastic container comprising two tray-shaped members connected by a living hinge and maintained in the closed position by two side snap latches. Such a container is particularly useful for housing a paint brush and the like.
2. Prior Art
Containers suitable for keeping and maintaining professional paint brushes in good working condition are known in the art. A typical state of the art device is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,811 to Knapp which discloses a container comprising two tray-shaped members connected together by a hinge for opening and closing the container. One of the trays is provided with cylindrical protrusions that are received in a closely-fit relationship in circular recesses provided in the other tray to serve as a closure means. One disadvantage of the Knapp container resides in the method of closing it; the closure means requires a user to press the protrusions into the recesses at each of the four corners of the trays. Another disadvantage of the Knapp device is that as the container wears and play develops in the hinge, the protrusions are not automatically in registry with the recesses. It then becomes necessary to first properly align and then mate the protrusions with the recesses, thus rendering it difficult to maintain the container in the closed position.